Dusting brush



Patented Mar. 17, 1953 DUSTHNG BRUSH David Heller, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Samuel J. Ernstoff, New York, and Harriet M. Winburn,

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 3, 1947, Serial No. 771,906

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to cleaning devices in the nature of brushes and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device comprising a num-ber of individual brushes mounted on a common handle, and usable one at a time, or in multiples as desired.

, Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning device comprising a common handle and a number of individual brushes, the brushes being mounted on the handle by means of an improved and novel form of fastener whereby they may be moved individually into operative posi tion and retracted out of said position when not needed, the fastener being so arranged as to dispose the extended brushes in such fashion as to cooperate with each other during the cleaning process.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple brush, cleaning device which may be employed for a variety of different cleaning tasks, such as for cleaning Venetian blinds, radiators, walls, furniture and the like, with little eiort.

Still another obj ect of the invention is to provide a household brush the individual parts of which are Washable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a utility brush which is novel in form, simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, and eiicient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a view of my improved utility brush with all three brush heads in fully extended position,

Fig. 2 is a view of the device shown in Fig. 1, but showing all three brush heads in fully retracted position,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, but showing one brush head in extended position and the other two heads in retracted positions,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the upper end portion of the parts shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a right side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation taken on line E-E of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional plan view taken taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 4.

In the use of utility brushes for such work as household cleaning, it has been found necessary in the past to employ a number of different types of brushes, due to the large variety of cleaning tasks to be accomplished. Thus, a brush which would normally be suitable for cleaning walls, would not be suitable for cleaning narrow spaces such as those between radiator sections, or for cleaning Venetian blinds. And, in addition, once such a brush has been used, and has become soiled, it cannot be used again until cleaned.

The present invention discloses a device whereby problems of this type are solved, by the use of a combination brush, employing a common handle with a number of individual brush heads carried thereon. By novel fastening means, one or more of the brush heads may be extended into operative position for use, to take care of any in dividual task. Where a large bulky brush is needed, all the brush heads may be extended, and when a narrow opening is to be cleaned, then only one brush head is extended.

n order to understand clearly the nature of the invention, and the best means for carrying it out, reference may now be had to the drawings, in which like numerals denote similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown, there is a handle il) which may be formed of an elongated cylindrical piece of wood or other suitable material, smoothly sanded to provide a comfortable grip for the user, and long enough to reach to the iioor, and up to the walls, so as to obviate the need for stooping, and the use of stepladders or chairs to reach high places. A fastening bracket generally indicated at l2, and formed preferably of sheet material, has a cylindrical ferrule portion I4 encircling the upper end portion i6 of the handle I0. A bolt i8 has its shank extending through axially aligned apertures formed in the diametrically opposite walls of the ferrule I4, and through a corresponding bore formed through the upper end of the handle Ill.

Brush heads 2D, 22, and 24, which may be formed in any suitable manner well known in the art, such as by means of cotton tufts secured together by being intertwisted between the strands of twisted Wires 26, the untufted shanks 28, 30 and 32 of the heads having their lower ends bent in the form of loops or eyes 34. It will be observed, as best shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, that the loops 34 of the two outer brush head shanks 218 and 32, are disposed on opposite outer sides of the ferrule i4, in registry with the above mentioned aligned apertures formed therein to receive the bolt IB, and that the shank of the bolt l!! also extends through the said loops 34.

Washers 36 are disposed on each side of the loops 34, the bolt shank also passing through the washers. A slot 36 is cut longitudinally through the end portion I6 of the brush handle i6, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 6, to bifurcate this end portion thereof, and to receive in the slot the lower end of the intermediate brush head shank 36. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the eye or loop 34 on the end ofthe brush shank 36 also has Lthe .shank of the vbolt i8 extending therethrough.

A nut 40 is threaded onto the unheaded end of the bolt I8, to retain the entire assembly of parts together, as shown best in Figs. 4 and '7, the nut being tightened sumciently to draw the looped ends 34 of the brush head .Shanks securely between their abutting parts s as to provide a frictional yielding bias against turning motion thereof.

The bracket l2 has a forward extension 42 in the form of a plate of enlarged widthfwhich is cut away at eli to form a curved retaining tongue or hook .de which is adapted to engage around -the shank 36 of the middle `brush head Y22, when in extended position, as shown in Figsl and.

It will be seen that in order to engage the hook .46, it is necessary to bend the shank 36 to the left as seen in Figs. l and 3, in order to clear and come around `the end of the hook or tongue, so that the shank is thus sprung 'back into its Vnormal position when engaged in the hook, and retained securely therein.

In like fashion, extension '42 has oppositely Yextending tongues which are bent inwardly to form hooks i8 Aand 5D for engagement with the shanks 28 and 36. It will be seen that for such engagement, it will be necessary to bend or spring the shanks 26 and 3Q inwardly to clear theends of the hooks 8 and 5l] respectively, the shanks then springing back into their normal positions as shown in Fig. 1, when in engagement with the hooks, and being thus rmly retained therein. To disengage any brush head shank from its respective hook, it is only necessary to bend the `shank away from the hook and move the shank pivotally on bolt i8, downwardly into the lower position against the handle, such as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

'The nut i6 is tightened sufficiently to hold the retracted brush heads, in their lower positions, so that -only one may be extended when required, as Vshown in Fig. 3, or all may be retracted, as

shownin Figs. 2 and 4, for storing or packing the cleaning device. For cleaning a narrow crevice, .snchas inradiators or Venetian blinds, Aonly one of -the brush heads need lie-extended, as ,shownin Fig. 3, or two may be extended to clean adjacent crevices at the same time.

When a 'wall is to be brushed oi, `all the heads are extended, as in Fig. 1, to provide maximum bushing effect. The brush head tufts are formed of easily washable material, such as cotton, so

that they may be cleaned with soap and water, without taking the brush apart. It will be apparent that if desired, a soiled brush head may be retracted, and a clean head moved into extended position.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in specific terms, it is to be vimderstood .that various changes maybe made in Velements having shank portions, means for vattaching each of said shank portions of said cleaning elements t0 said pivot shaft for independent pivotal movement with respect to said handle and withrespect to each other, whereby said cleaning elements `maybe selectively manually moved to extended operative position beyond ,said end vof said handle or retracted to inoperative position alongside said handle, and means for releasably Vlocking, vsaid cleaning elements in said extended position, said releasa'ble -locking means comprising .a bracket member attached to saidhandle, said bracket'member having'a ferrule portion engagingsad handle and a, portion extending beyond vtheend `of said handle, ysaid last. named extending portionhaving lateral hook membersfor engagement with the shank'lportions of said cleaning elements.

2. lA cleaning ,device 4according .to claim 1 in which atleast three cleaning elements are provided in .lateral ,relationship and in which the ysaid end of .the Vhandle where .the `cleaning elements are mountedis `slotted'inwardly from the .end thereof and in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the handle, fora ,predetermined distance, and in which the centrally disposed ni the three cleaning elements isso mounted whereby its shank portionwill ,be `rictionally received within said slot.

LDAYID HELLER.

REFERENCES vCIT-ED The following references are of recordin "the nle of this l patenti 'UNITED "STATES EPATENI'S 

